- The single-seat plane crashed during the event shortly before 1:20 p.m.
- Did you see the Spitfire accident? Email: elena.salvoni@mailonline.co.uk
The Royal Air Force has confirmed that a Spitfire pilot has died in a crash during a Battle of Britain event near RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.
“It is with great sadness that we must confirm the death of an RAF pilot in a tragic accident near RAF Coningsby today,” he said in a statement.
“The pilot’s family has been informed and we ask that privacy be respected at this difficult time.”
Emergency services arrived following reports of an accident in a field on Langrick Road, which occurred at around 1.20pm.
Fire crews from Horncastle, Woodhall Spa, as well as a rescue team from Louth, as well as a helicopter, attended the scene.
A Spitfire crashed in a field during a Battle of Britain event at RAF Coningsby just before 1.20pm.
Emergency services arrived following reports of a single-occupant plane crash in a field on Langrick Road (file image)
A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said previously: “Emergency services are present following reports of a plane crashing in a field just before 1.20pm.”
“This is believed to be a single-occupant aircraft and no one else is believed to have been involved.
“There are road closures in the Dogdyke Road and Sandy Bank areas.”
The RAF released a statement via X, which read: ‘We are aware of an incident in the vicinity of RAF Coningsby involving an RAF aircraft.
“We are working with emergency services and supporting those affected.”
Authorities asked motorists to avoid the area and look for other routes to travel.
According GloucestershireLive was a Supermarine Spitfire aircraft that was previously used both before and after World War II.
The aircraft was designed by RJ Mitchell and was famous for its role during the Battle of Britain.
Its unique elliptical wings allowed for a perfect combination of power and speed in the air.
The site where the Spitfire crashed in a field on Langrick Road at RAF Coningsby
Exactly 20,531 Spitfires were built between 1939 and 1948, many of which varied in function and engine type.
There are believed to be around 60 Spitfires currently in use spread around the world.
Several others are also preserved in museums, private collections and exhibitions, bringing the total number of Spitfires to an estimated 240.
Police have asked anyone with information to contact them by calling 101 and quoting 221 of 25 May 2024.